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ROSA SRI LANKA

CRITICAL ISSUES FOR CHILDREN

The escalation of the conflict between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at the end of 2005 in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka has resulted in grave humanitarian consequences. Recruitment of children by armed forces/groups continues and, since January 2006, more than 1,000 people and 19 humanitarian workers have been killed. Some 450,000 people have been displaced since the beginning of the conflict and more than 200,000 are newly displaced since April. Access to vulnerable areas has been greatly impeded by the security situation and lack of clearance from authorities. Food and other items are in extreme shortage in conflict areas, there is a need for sanitation and hygiene-related interventions in internally displaced persons’ (IDP) concentration points, while the imminent monsoon requires rapid action with many IDP sites prone to flooding and lacking adequate shelter.

Education: Benefiting a total of 50,000 children, UNICEF will establish temporary child-friendly teaching and learning spaces and procure learning materials, uniforms and schoolbags; provide training for 2,000 teachers on emergency education response; support the Ministry of Education in coordination committees among participating partners at national, zonal and district levels.